FORT JACKSON, S.C. – As technology turns the varying military locations into one global Army village, the days of soldiers with sweating palms pacing the floor in their Class A uniform, mulling over MOS-specific or general military knowledge, current events and nervously recalling how to properly report to a senior official may be gone.
The 81st Regional Readiness Command is holding the third Senior Enlisted Board that is entirely digital. Five panels of five leaders, four sergeant majors and one officer, 25 in total are reviewing 2,865 files of soldiers being considered for promotion to E-7 through E-9. The 88th RSC at Fort McCoy, WI started their board, Aug. 1, and the 99th RSC at Fort Dix, N.J. is holding theirs simultaneously with the 81st.
The process involves members of the Directorate of Human Resources downloading the records of soldiers in their area and screening them for promotion eligibility. Of the over 8,300 soldiers that the 81st RSC supports, only 2,865 we found to be eligible for consideration. Disqualifying factors include flags for various reasons, outdated or missing documents, such as NCOERs or DA 1059s (academic reports) and the ever-critical DA photo.
“Soldiers need to understand the importance of the DA photo.” said 81st RSC Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Wills.
“Soldiers need to know what’s in their current packet.” Tannie Jackson of the DHR Boards Branch reiterated Wills comments. “The soldiers need to check their documents. They need to know what’s there.”
Once the 2,865 files are downloaded they are reviewed by the panels and seen as if they were on the Human Resources Command website and the electronic point system is on the computer. “It’s easier to maneuver,” said Lt. Col Ida Boyd, deputy G-1 at USAR Legal Command in Gaithersburg, Md. “It’s easier to just click. You look at it [the Soldier’s record], review it, grade it and make a decision.” Command Sgt. Maj. Elvis Byrd agreed. “Two thumbs up,” he said. “It’s much faster than paper. There’s no waiting to pass files to each other, we just keep rolling.”
When asked about the process, Jackson said, “It’s about time. The concept is more in line with the active component and the active Guard and Reserve but as far as the process, we need to work it out.” According to Jackson this board had exposed some of the personnel issues in the Reserve that the AC and AGR systems don’t seem to have.
“What we need to do,” she said, “is clean up the Reserve personnel system.” She said that the major commands and USARC need to come together to decide how to properly execute electronic boards. She hopes this would occur before the next board.
Jackson’s message to soldiers; “Stay on top of your records.” To unit level administrators; “Clean up the personnel systems. Make sure you’re doing it right. She maintains that the command structure needs to determine why out of over 8,300 theoretically eligible personnel, over 5,000 were disqualified.
When asked about the naysayers who may object to electronic boards, reasoning that soldiers should have to stand and present themselves in person before a board, Wills replied, “Welcome to the 21st century.” He went on to say that the transition from documents to digits will become the daily flow of business. “The focus now,” he explained, “will be soldiers needing to understand the iPerms process. Also, sergeant majors and first sergeants need to become aware of the standards and processes that will impact their soldiers.” Wills stressed the need for personal administrative discipline on the part of the soldier who wants to be promoted. “No one is going to take care of your career like you should.”